Oral dispensing bands



Sept. 14, 1965 WALLSHEIN ORAL DISPENSING BANDS Filed April 25, 1961FIG.6

FIG]

00 0 0 OO 00 O00 OOO 000 INVENTOR, MELVIN WALLSHEIN,

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,205,576 ORAL DISPENSING BANDS MelvinWallshein, 8645 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Apr. 25, 1961, Ser.No. 105,360 8 Claims. (Cl. 32-14) The present invention relates toorthodontic fittings and more particularly to a resilient member whichmay be an elastic band used in stretched condition toeffect teethalignment. Such band may be connected, for instance, at one end to ahook on a bracket supporting an upper arch wire in a patients mouth andat its other end to a hook on a bracket supporting a lower arch wire.This is usually referred to as an intermaxillary elastic installation.Other adaptations are intramaxillary and intramandibular, all well knownin orthodontic procedures.

The principal object of this invention is to have said elastic memberserve as the dispenser to the saliva in the mouth, of a solublesubstance which may have anesthetic, medicinal, soothing or taste valueas would be offered by anti-caries, stannous fluorides, benzocaine,sweeteners, scents and the like.

Another object thereof is to provide novel and improved elastic memberconstructions whose expansion and contraction caused by the working ofthe jaws or by tongue movements will produce a dispensing result ofincreased and then decreased exposure to saliva action, of thepreparation of said member caries.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved elastic memberconstructions to cache and hold bits of chewing gum, nuts and the like,which will indicate to the dentist that the patient did chew thingswhich were forbidden during orthodontic treatment.

Another object of this invention is to provide elastic members of thecharacter described, which are reasonable in cost and eflicient incarrying out the purposes for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

Upon the installation of the orthodontic appliance of the type set forthand for some time thereafter, the patient experiences a sensitiveness inthe mouth which should be stilled. The application of any of the variousreagents for this purpose is offered by the present invention in theelastic member itself.

The gist of this invention is based on my discovery that if the elasticis impregnated, coated or otherwise made to carry a supply of medicinalor other preparations as herein mentioned and taught, such substanceswill be more exposed to assimilation by the saliva in the mouth and thusapplied to the gums and teeth in the orthodontic uses set forth, uponthe expansion of the resilient element than when said element iscontracted. More surface area of the resilient member is exposed duringexpansion thereof than when contracted and hence more substance carriedthereby is subjected to saliva action when spread out by the expansionof the elastic member. The expansion and contraction, respectively,offer successively an increased solution action followed by a lag in thedispensing of the carried substance, and thus makes the preparationeffective over an extended period of time. I also suggest other agentsto increase the desired retardation in solution effect, to be added tosaid preparations where compatible, as for instance gum tragacanth or acombination of lactose in alcohol.

For the practice of this invention, said preparations may beincorporated in the elastic by impregnation of the rubber mass duringits manufacture, by dipping or coating or by making deposits thereon ofpowdered masses in gum tragacanth as a vehicle, for instance, for sodiumor am- 3,205,576 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 monium saccharin, cinnamon,aspirin or of scented or flavored granules.

I have also provided various constructions for the elastic member whichmay be in the form of a band, filament or narrow tape and which offercaches for the deposit or retention of the preparation chosen.

For further explanation of this invention, I will now refer to theaccompanying drawing which forms part of this specification, in whichdrawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the views.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the upper and lower teeth in a mouth, each sethaving a bracket supported arch wire thereabout respectively. A tensedrubber band is spanned between a hook on a bracket on a forward uppertooth and another hook on a bracket on a rear lower tooth; suchinstallation being well known in orthodontia. The elastic element servesin this invention, as a dispenser to the saliva in the mouth, of apreparation of the categories mentioned.

FIG. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view showing an elastic element ofmodified construction.

FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views of other forms ofelastic structure taught herein, for use in this orthodontic procedureas intramandibular, intramaxillary or intermaxillary elastics. Theseviews show the several elastics in contracted condition.

FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 are similar views showing the elastics of FIGS. 3, 5and 7 respectively, in expanded condition.

FIG. 9 is a top plan fragmentary view of perforated elastic bandmaterial which is another embodiment.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates an arch wire about the upperteeth 16in a mouth, supported by brackets which are tooth-borne as at 17and 18, while the numeral 19 denotes an arch wire about the lower teeth20, supported by similarly mounted brackets as at 21 and 22.

A hook 23 is provided on the bracket 17 and another hook 24 is providedon the bracket 22. These hooks are spanned by a rubber band 25, which isin some stressed condition when the mouth is closed. This manner ofinstallation is a well known orthodontic practice.

The resilient element 25 which is of course capable of expansion andcontraction, is made to carry a supply of saliva-soluble preparation ofthe nature previously discussed or some granular form which can becarried along with the saliva to the teeth and gums. Many rubbers arerough in their surfaces as shown at 26 or may be molded to be so. Thisroughness acts to intercept granular content in any preparation appliedby dipping or brushing. Or the element may be molded with shallowsockets as 27 to act as caches for such material. Another manner isshown at 28 where the resilient member 29 has a layer of sponge or foamrubber 30. Or the rubber member may have transverse slits 31 as cacheswhich open into channels 31' when the element is expanded and keepenlarging as expansion continues, but close again as in FIG. 5, uponcontraction or become nearly closed because the band is under somestress even when the mouth is closed in order to perform its aligningfunction. It is evident that the elastic element of whicheverconstruction it may be, will expand and contract during mouth movementswhich occur during talking and chewing.

When the elastic element 32 stretches, the shallow sockets 27 willexpand to present larger surface areas as at 27 and thus spread outtheir content. Upon contraction, the condition will again be as in FIG.3 and the content is sort of gathered in. When the elastic element 33expands, the crevices caused by the roughness 26 will expand asindicated at 26' and thus cause a spreading of the preparation carriedthereon. Upon contraction, the preparation content will be sort ofgathered.

We may note that when the elastic element carries a preparation asherein taught, the expansions and contractions of said element willeffect a sort of pump-like action therein to sort of ooze out substanceto the elastics surface upon expansions and to minimize such action uponcontractions.

'Another embodiment of this invention is to have the elastic porous asis indicated by the perforated elastic of FIG. 9 as one form therefor toincrease absorption and retention of any desired preparation. In fact onthe elastic member 29, an elastic absorbent layer 30 is shown in theembodiment indicated generally by the numeral 28, which layer may be ofsponge rubber. 7

With all of these constructions including the one where the elasticelement is impregnated, I take advantage of getting more of thepreparation exposed to saliva action during expansions, to cause aspreading of the preparation. During contractions, there will be a lagin such action because of the lesser surface area then exposed and theresulting confining of the preparation on the elastic element. Thisattains a prolongation of the supply of the medicinal or otherpreparation initially applied to the said element.

When the preparation is applied unto the elastic element either byimpregnation, dipping, brushing. or the like, the preparation may bedefined as a coating thereon and such notation is used in the appendedclaims to include all such conditions. In applying the preparation, itis advisable that it be done while the elastic is held stretched to geta bigger supply thereon and especially so when the preparation containsa gum content so that in subsequent expansions and contractions, thedried gum can follow them by its own expansions and contractions.

The caches offered by the shallow sockets 27, the closingrchannels 31,the perforations 34 and the cellular structure 30 would catch and retaincertain food particles as of chewing gum, nuts and the like and uponexamination of the patients mouth, the dentist may discover the presenceof such foreign matter which are usually of things forbidden the patientduring orthodontic treat ment. The patients misgivings can thus bediscovered and brought to his attention.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applicationswithout departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It istherefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shallbe deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patentshall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being hadto the following claims rather than to the specific description hereinto indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In an orthodontic system consisting of two tooth bands, hooks securedone on each of said bands, and an elongated elastic element mounted onand spanning said hooks, the improvement being a salvia-solublepreparation carried by said elastic element, said element being porousand accommodating said preparation.

2. In an orthodontic system consisting of two tooth bands, hooks securedone on each of said bands, and an elongated elastic element mounted onand spanning said hooks, the improvement being a salvia-solublepreparation impregnated in said elastic element.

3. In an orthodontic system consisting of two tooth bands, hooks securedone on each of said bands, and an elongated elastic element mounted onand spanning said hooks, the improvement being that a surface of saidband has coating-carrying depressions therein, and a salivasolublepreparation in said depressions.

4. An orthodontic system. as defined in claim 3, wherein saiddepressions are slits.

5. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said depressionsare shallow sockets.

6. The orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said surface ofsaid elastic element is roughened whereby said depressions are provided.

7. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said surface ofsaid elastic element is porous at least in part.

8. An orthodontic system as defined in claim 3, wherein said elasticelement is perforated whereby said depressions are provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Safiir 32-5RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.

1. IN AN ORTHODONITIC SYSTEM CONSISTING OF TWO TOOTH BANDS, HOOKSSECURED ONE ON EACH OF SAID BANDS, AND AN ELONGATED ELASTIC ELEMENTMOUNTED ON AND SPANNING SAID HOOKS, THE IMPROVEMENT BEING ASALVIA-SOLUBLE PREPARATION CARRIED BY SAID ELASTIC ELEMENT, SAID ELEMENTBEING POROUS AND ACCOMMODATING PREPARATION.